by Frieda Powers
Embattled FBI Director Christopher Wray will reportedly be gone by the time President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office in January.
A Washington Times article cited “sources inside the bureau” familiar with the FBI chief’s “thinking” to report that he plans to resign on or before Inauguration Day. This followed a blistering letter fired off by Sen. Charles Grassley giving Wray a vote of no-confidence.
“He’s going to be gone at the inauguration. On or before the inauguration,” a source told the outlet which claimed he “is calling it quits because he doesn’t want to get fired” by the incoming president.
Trump has named Kash Patel as his choice to lead the agency though in his first post-election network interview he did not call for Wray to step aside, nor did he indicate he would fire him upon being inaugurated.
Trump rips outgoing FBI director Wray: ‘He invaded my home’ https://t.co/N94u8SMJf1 via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) December 9, 2024
With Wray’s potential exit, Deputy Director Paul Abbate would step up to fill in the role. Abbate reportedly planned to stay in the position until May or June to help facilitate the transition to a new FBI director. But those plans evidently took a turn this week as Sen. Grassley directed a no-nonsense letter to Wray, effectively telling him and Abbate to pack their bags.
In his 7yrs as FBI Dir Chris Wray has allowed the bureau 2b politicized + repeatedly refused 2 answer to Congress & protect whistleblowers Time 2 turn the page on Dir Wray & Deputy Dir Abbate’s failed leadership IVE SEEN ENOUGH
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) December 9, 2024
“For the good of the country, it’s time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter in your lives. I’ve spent my career fighting for transparency, and I’ve always called out those in government who have fought against it,” Grassley wrote. “For the public record, I must do so once again now.”
“I therefore must express my vote of no confidence in your continued leadership of the FBI,” the Iowa Republican wrote in the 11-page letter.
“President-elect Trump has already announced his intention to nominate a candidate to replace you, and the Senate will carefully consider that choice. For my part, I’ve also seen enough, and hope your respective successors will learn from these failures,” Grassley, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, added.
Grassley to Wray: “One of the most egregious examples is the FBI’s failure to provide basic information I requested more than two years ago related to the FBI’s ongoing mishandling of sexual harassment claims made by the FBI’s female employees.” pic.twitter.com/rScOhQR6U2
— Jerry Dunleavy IV (@JerryDunleavy) December 9, 2024
Wray’s “failures” as FBI director were laid out by Grassley who said it “shattered my confidence in your leadership and the confidence and hope many others in Congress placed in you.”
He pointed to the FBI’s “unprecedented raid” of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida in 2022.
“In that raid, roughly 30 armed agents entered the home of a former president of the United States, with full authorization to use lethal force if needed to execute its warrant, and even searched the former First Lady’s clothing drawers,” Grassley wrote.
Whatever happened to the release of the Crossfire Hurricane documents? Trump explicitly declassified them, yet the FBI will not release them. I expect when we finally DO see them (unless Trump didn’t make copies and the FBI has destroyed them), we will be aware of why they weren’t released.
Let this incompetent person find solace where his incompetence will continue to flourish.